The princess returns (Book 2)

The dream

Marinette jolted awake and screamed. Adrien bolted into her room and ran to her side, holding Marinette close and stroking her hair.
"It's over. He's not here. He can't harm you," he whispered. Marinette whimpered as she held Adrien closer.
"What did he do this time?" he asked, not letting go of Marinette.
"He...he I-I... he took me with him," stammered Marinette on the verge of tears.
"It's ok. It's ok. I'm here now. You don't have to worry," said Adrien in a soothing voice.

Then in an instant, he faded away.
"Adrien!" wailed Marinette. "Adrien! Come back! Where are you?" She began throwing her blankets everywhere to look for him. She gripped onto the sheets and began crying.

"What's wrong, princess?" asked a voice from the window. Marinette wiped away her tears and looked up.
"Lila!" growled Marinette. "What did you do?"
"Relax, this is all a dream. I just came here to tell you, princess, that I know you and Adrien are together," snapped Lila, as she walked inside of Marinette's room and sat down on an armchair.
"Everyone knew. What's your point?" asked Marinette, sitting up straight and folding her arms.
"My point is, princess, that you ruined my life. So I have come to ruin yours," hissed Lila, glaring at her through the shadows.

Marinette turned the lamp on to see Lila clearly. She was dressed in her Lady Butterfly outfit.
"Wait... why are you dressed like that?" gasped Marinette, pretending to play dumb.
"Well, if you should know, I am the new Hawkmoth," said Lila, letting out a sigh signalling her annoyance.
"But why would you tell me that?" asked Marinette, feeling confused in honesty.
"Because I know that the police here would never believe you. And you can't find me or stop me from ruining your life," explained Lila, standing up.

"I don't understand. All I did was date Adrien. How on Earth did I ruin your life?" asked Marinette.
"So many questions. So little time. You ruined my life by taking him away. In doing that, he was no longer interested in me. And everyone found out about my lies," explained Lila, knocking over Marinette's sketchbook.

"So you came to London to ruin my life?" repeated Marinette.
"Exactly. Now you're getting it," cried Lila happily.
"Great. When do I see the true you?" asked Marinette, acting happy.
"I hate you," groaned Lila.
"As I to you," said Marinette with a smile.

"Sweet dreams, princess. And I'll see you at school tomorrow," said Lila with a smirk.

Marinette's eyes opened quickly and she sat up instantly.
"So she doesn't know I'm Ladybug or that Ladybug is here," said Marinette, letting out a sigh of relief.

She looked around at the dark room. Tikki was sleeping on her bedside table cuddled up to Plagg. She sat up and stretched. She took one more look around and saw her sketchbook on the floor.

"No..." whispered Marinette. She looked at the balcony doors and saw them unlocked and open. She ran onto her balcony to see if she could get a glimpse of Lila.
"She was here," mumbled Marinette.

She ran to Adrien's bedroom door and opened it quietly. She looked at her prince laying on his bed.
"What are you doing princess?" asked Adrien. Marinette shuddered at the last word.
"You're awake," whispered Marinette. "And still here," she added under her breath.
"Of course I'm awake. I was listening out for you," sighed Adrien, sitting up on his bed. He patted on his bed for Marinette to come and sit down. She complied and sat beside me.

"Any nightmares today?" he asked.
"No... not exactly," whispered Marinette.
"Does this mean they're going away?" asked Adrien with a smile. Marinette shook her head.
"Lila blocked a nightmare coming today," said Marinette.
"Well that was nice of her... for once," sighed Adrien. Marinette shook her head.
"She came to talk to me," whispered Marinette.
"About what? Does she know?" asked Adrien.
"No. She came to London to follow the Princess of China. She wants to ruin my life," explained Marinette.
"Why?" asked Adrien.
"Because I ruined hers by taking you away," replied Marinette.
"I chose to be with you. I never liked Lila in that way," whispered Adrien.

"Try telling that to her. She's going to our school... she's going to be in my class," said Marinette, a tear falling.
"Should we go back to Paris and apply to be here next year?" asked Adrien.

"No... but I think I need to lead her away from here. I'm returning to China," explained Marinette, as she stood up and left Adrien's room.
"What?" he cried, as he stood up and ran after her. She was in the kitchen making a coffee.
"You heard me. To lead her away from everyone, I'm going back to China. Besides, it would help a lot. If she found out that Ladybug and everyone were here, she'd know that we're them as we were also in China. So if I go back to China, it'll be like I never left to her," explained Marinette, starting the kettle.
"You can't! You can't leave! Not without us," protested Adrien.

"What is all this racket about?" asked Plagg, coming from Marinette's bedroom.
"Marinette is going back to China," said Adrien.
"What?" shrieked Plagg.
"It's too late. I have made up my mind," sighed Marinette, as she kissed Adrien's cheek and poured the hot water into a mug.
"But you can't!" protested Plagg.
"After all, we just got here. We just fought to come here with you. It'll be like we did all of that for nothing," added Adrien sadly.

"I'm sorry my prince. But I have made up my mind," sighed Marinette, not wanting to look at him or her tears would break free from their prison.
"Well then I'm coming with you," said Adrien.
"No my prince. I can't let you waste your education to fight Lady Butterfly. Then she could get what she came here for," said Marinette with a chuckle as she finished making her coffee. She took a sip and then spat it back in her mug. "I did wonder why I never drank this. Gross."

She placed the mug down and walked to the sofa and sat down.
"I'm going and that's final!" said Adrien. "I have made up my mind," he added with a smirk.
"What would your father-?"
"My father isn't here, is he?" asked Adrien sadly.
"But he would..."
"He would want me to help others. Okay, maybe he wouldn't. Maybe he would want me stuck inside my god forsaken mansion being homeschooled but I don't care what he would want. I am going and that's final!" explained Adrien, reminiscing his past.
"Fine. I guess I can't fight you on this one. We'll have to go to the office tomorrow and ask," sighed Marinette as she got up and took a sip of her coffee.

She spat it back in her mug and went," Nope. No more of this. Coffee?" He looked at her and chuckled.
"After you have took a sip and then spat it back in there, no thanks. Put it down the sink," he said with a scoff.